Quote Originally Posted by Kirkland Laing View Post
Boxing is not like the NFL or the NBA where you can buy a franchise and the franchise has a set number of guaranteed games every year, a gigantic regular guaranteed amount of money from TV every year, even very predictable guaranteed income from merchandising/food and drink at your stadium/arena etc.

Professional boxers don't have a pot to piss in when they start boxing for a living. There wouldn't be any fights at all if it wasn't for a bunch of sleazy fuckers putting up their own cash to put the fights on. And it's not a guaranteed thing -- plenty of people have tried and failed. You've got to subsidise a whole bunch of fighters, put them on a wage and pay their expenses and hope that some day one of them makes you some money and you can turn a profit on the whole enterprise. The regulatory system in boxing -- such as it is -- the sanctioning bodies, local commissions and so on has just evolved around the money guys who put the fights on. Various commissions operate basic health checks and supply officials and so on with their costs ultimately borne by the promoters (places like Vegas are a little different, the casinos basically fund the Nevada commission). The sanctioning bodies exist to make a profit too. They basically rent belts to various promoters so that their fighters can fight for and hold "world" titles.

The bottom line for boxing is that it's impossible to create what you have in other sports. There's no team or brand that can go on for ever, no leagues with guaranteed games/TV coverage/merchandising/sponsorship and so on for your team. It's just that bunch of sleazy guys putting their cash up in the hope of making a profit. And because it begins and ends with the promoters the whole structure of professional boxing can't be altered.
This is also where the magic lies and what makes it magnificent...still. People say things like "It is all a Circus" and bloody well ..duh.. yes that is kind of the point of PRIZE FIGHTERS. They are there to entertain, and the fact that there is still honour, integrity , sportsmanship and competitiveness there are in fights today, however inconsistent that is, should be applauded. It is Rock and Roll, Art, Poetry in Motion, and sometimes just simple violence but it just would not ever have become what it is without the bullshit artists, the blagging promoters, the crazy managers, the impresarios,he chancers and wide boys made good.

The fighters are more than just commodities to us and to their mangers and coaches but for promoters with large stables, they are also bargaining chips and assets. They (the promoters) drive hard bargains to enrich themselves and the fighters benefit but yes there comes a point where they are devaluing big fights by holding on to a blinding hand for far too long.

If it was more regulated it would run a big risk of making also-rans and supporting acts irrelevant. The whole shebang would shrink and become more predictable, financially unsustainable (WBSS?) and less entertaining. Be careful what you wish for.